I was having a bad day! I made my first coaching call in the morning to “Joe” who says he can’t find an “A” Technician. I asked him: “What are you doing to find a tech?” Joe replied: “I am doing everything I can to find help. I ran an ad on Craigslist but nobody responded!”
Next, I called “Linda,” who is averaging five cars a week: “Linda, what are you doing to improve your car count?” “Eric, you told me to start posting on Google My Business, so I just did a post five minutes ago because I knew you were calling today!”
Disappointed, but still optimistic, I call “Rick,” my next client. “Rick what are you doing to improve technician productivity?” “Eric, you suggested having daily huddle meetings with the techs, so I had one last Thursday. My guys still aren’t producing! Joe, Linda, and Rick were stuck in the box. How did they get there and what does this have to do with you?
Quick Fix Mentality
The fastest way to get stuck is to have a quick fix mentality. Joe, Rick, and Linda were looking for “the magic pill” by only trying one idea. The problem with only doing one thing is that you will default to what you’ve always done.
For example, what’s the first idea that pops into your head when you think of finding employees? I’ll bet you answered, “run an ad.” If you believe in the quick fix, running the ad will be the only step you take because this is what has worked in the past.
Are you having trouble maintaining your business, let alone grow it? Discover tips and strategies in ATI’s shop owner events that will help you find and keep top employees, improve car count, and put more money in your pocket. Register today at atievent.com.
The Rule of 5
If you had to come up with four additional strategies to find help, at least two of your ideas would be things you haven’t tried before. The solution to getting out of your box is to implement the Rule of 5.
Here’s how the Rule of 5 works: For any major business goal, pick at least 5 things you can do this week to make it happen. Keep reading for two examples.
Hiring an “A” Tech
- Run an Ad on IATN (https://iatn.net/careers)
- Place a Career Opportunities Link on your Website
- Offer Up to $1,000 referral bonus for employees and vendors
- Do a Tool Raffle with your local tool vendor
- Follow up with past applicants who declined because of a counteroffer
Improving Productivity
- Post a productivity whiteboard
- Use my Productivity Coaching Form with each tech
- Put everyone on a performance-based comp plan
- Have daily morning huddle meetings
- Have an individual or team-based productivity contest
Chances are, you just picked up an idea you haven’t used before. This is the power of the rule. It forces you to step outside of what you would normally do.
What is your biggest business challenge? Before you say, “I can’t…” tell me about the 5 things you can do to achieve your goal. Today is a great day to use the Rule of 5 to get out of your box!
At ATI, we focus on teaching and coaching shop owners on best practices to get the most out of your automotive repair business. Want to learn more? Find an ATI shop owner event near you.